The city of Thrissur is referred to as the Cultural Capital of Kerala owing to its many traditional festivals and historic temples.

Sakthan Thampuran was born on 26 August 1751 AD at Vellarapally Palace to Anujan Namboodiripad of the Chennamangalam Mana and Ambika Thampuratti of the Cochin Royal Family.

The prince was brought up by his maternal aunt, famously known as Chittamma (meaning mother's younger sister) Thampuran.

At the time, widowed Nethyar Ammas did not receive monetary support from the state, so Chummukutty, at the age of 21, returned to her ancestral home.

[3] After his 55th birthday, Sakthan Thampuran fell ill and died on 26 September 1805, at Thrissur City.

After Thampuran ascended the throne of Kingdom of Cochin, he took over the land from the feudal chieftains and consolidated the royal power.

He cleared the 60-acre (24 ha) teak forests around the Vadakkunnathan Temple and developed the Thekkinkadu Maidan, which is now at the heart of the city.

All the late participant temples went to Sakthan Thampuran, then Maharaja of Cochin, and complained about the issue.

[6] Named after Shakthan Thampuran, the palace is spread over 6 acres (2.4 ha) of Thrissur and was earlier known as Vadakkechira Kovilakam.

It is one of the most historic cultural and architecturally relevant palace of the erstwhile Maharaja of Cochin, which has now been converted into a heritage museum.